Senior Forward
Tyler Hansbrough
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The Tar Heels return their top six players - and nine of their first 11 - from a team that finished 36-3 overall and earned the program's 17th Final Four berth. UNC seeks to win at least 20 games for the 39th time in 43 seasons. Last season's 36 wins were the Tar Heels' most ever in a season and marked the eighth time they have eclipsed the 30-win mark. Roy Williams enters this season with 560 wins in 20 years as a head coach, including a 142-33 mark at UNC. The Tar Heels' graduated point guard Quentin Thomas, who started nine games last season and averaged 3.1 assists.
Tyler Hansbrough is back for his senior season after earning National Player of the Year honors as a junior … averaged 22.6 ppg and 10.2 rpg last season while earning first-team All-America honors for the third straight year … unanimous choice for ACC Player of the Year … shot .806 while attempting 377 free throws and shot 54 percent from the floor.
Ty Lawson hopes to be at full speed after missing seven full games and struggling in several others due to an ankle injury as a sophomore … averaged 12.7 ppg and 5.2 apg …assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.36 ranked 27th nationally and led the ACC.
Junior Guard
Wayne Ellington
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Wayne Ellington scored in double figures in 15 of his final 16 games as a sophomore … ranked second on team in scoring with 16.6 ppg … clutch shot at buzzer won overtime game at Clemson and capped career-high 36-point night … scored at least 20 points in nine games.
Deon Thompson provided a solid inside complement to Hansbrough as a sophomore … averaged 8.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg while starting 38 games … blocked team-high 51 shots.
Marcus Ginyard was the only player besides Hansbrough to start all 39 games … averaged 6.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg … named first-team All-ACC Defensive Team.
Danny Green started only one game, but 22.3 minutes per contest ranked fifth on the squad … averaged 11.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg and shot .873 from the foul line … 103 career blocked shots ranks second among active ACC players.
